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“She's not...” he paused and seemed to consider his words. “Her sister I told you about, Posey, she's a bit...different. She's pretty much stayed in her fur from the minute she turned.”
“What? You can do that?”
“Sure. So you see, Anita's parents put a lot of pressure on her to be the next leader. They just never told her a forced mating was part of the package. It's a hard thing to swallow for someone as headstrong as Anita.”
“Well, if she's such a good little girl, why didn't she just go along with it?” Onyx hated how bitter she sounded. Damn, I'm really turning into a bitch.
Kipp didn't seem offended. “The guy she was supposed to be with was a lot older and not...very nice. Once the mating was announced, he let her know what he intended to do to her every chance he got her alone.”
For a moment, Onyx felt like a complete jerk. Then Kipp's mouth twitched with the beginning of a smile. “Plus, she's always been a bit...stubborn,” he added.
She burst out laughing. Understatement of the year.
Chapter Eight
Talking to Kipp about Posey left Onyx curious. Mindful of what curiosity does to cats, she didn't ask any more questions, but she couldn't help wondering. What would it be like to spend all your time as a cat? Why would anyone want to do that? Since learning she could change, Onyx had come to love her dual nature. Choosing to spend time as only one or the other would feel unnatural.
The chimes of the front door resonated through the whole house interrupting her thoughts. Anita pounded down the stairs and got to the door before anyone else had a chance.
“Posey!”
A taller, rounder version of Anita stood at the threshold. Great.
The woman was so soft-spoken, Onyx found herself leaning toward the door, trying to hear their conversation. Then as fast as she had appeared, she disappeared.
What the hell?
A plump, black and gray cat skittered into the room. With the grace of a feline half her size, she vaulted onto the couch. She sat in front of Onyx and stared at her with luminous amber eyes.
“Uh, sorry, Onyx. This is my sister, Posey. She's more comfortable in her fur, especially around strangers.”
Mwrrar.
Onyx was thankful Kipp had warned her about this so she could act nonplussed.
“Pleased to meet you Posey,” she managed to say with a straight face.
Anita glanced at Onyx with a surprised smile on her face. One minute Anita sat before her, and the next, the air around her shimmered while Anita shifted into her own cat form. The two cats twined themselves together on the couch, purring and washing one another. Onyx wasn't sure if she found their sisterly display sweet or icky.
Shaking her head, she went to find Cole, but found Kipp first.
She jerked her head in the direction she had just come from. “Your would-be sister-in-law is in the living room.”
“Is that who was at the door?”
“Yup.”
“Are they both in their fur?”
“Yup.”
Kipp shrugged. “I told you.”
“Should we put out a litter box?” It was a catty comment, but she couldn't help herself. The situation called for a little comic relief.
Kipp flattened his lips into a thin line for a moment then let out a hushed bark of laughter. “Not yet.”
“Is that common? I mean for shifters?” Onyx had left her clowder before she had gleaned any information from her people. She had no idea what normal shifter customs dictated.
“Well as far as I know, Posey was the only one in our town who kept to her fur. Since their Dad was pretty powerful, no one ever questioned it. Everyone just always assumed Anita would take over as clowder leader, even though Posey is older.”
Posey. It's like her parents were naming a cat and not a person. Onyx kept that thought to herself. It was rude and none of her business. Besides, it's not like her own name had come out of a standard book of baby names.
What do you smell? Anita looked to Kipp, who somehow had been elected leader of the night's activities. They were all in their cat forms. Cole had taken their clothes and hung them across the back porch railing for when they returned. Oddly enough, Posey chose to stay behind. When Onyx left the house, the strange cat had been sitting in the living room window with her nose pressed against the screen, scenting the air. Definitely more of an indoor cat, Onyx decided.
Wild turkeys just over that hill. Kipp's voice intruded in her thoughts. He bobbed his head toward the south end of the back yard, looking at each of them to see if they were all in agreement.
Turkey? Onyx looked around at her friends. We're not big enough to take down a wild turkey.
Oscar nudged her. Sure we are, if we all work together.
Kipp nodded. They can't fly very far, or run too fast. We'll hone in on one. The others will scatter. Then it's dinner time.
Her stomach rebelled at the thought of eating raw meat. Gross.
Let's go, I'm starved. Molly surprised her by being so eager.
You're always hungry. Anita gave Molly a pointed look.
Knock it off. Kipp growled. Molly backed away from the group a little. Onyx swatted her with her tail.
Martha started jumping from paw to paw. Come on. Let's get going before they roost up in the trees for the night.
Despite Martha's enthusiasm, Onyx's stomach roiled at the thought of fresh, wild bird. Yuck.
Geez, you've never gone hunting? Kipp obviously read her mind.
Onyx was defensive. I haven't had a chance.
Kipp shook his head like he didn't quite believe her story. Well, your feral side will take over. You'll enjoy it. Molly, you keep an eye on her. Oscar, well, you keep an eye on both of them. He said the last part with a bit of a snicker, but Oscar didn't seem offended.
Now that they had a game plan, the group took off. They raced through the woods, moving together in sync. Onyx kept to the back of the group. A watch-and-learn sort of mood had settled over her tonight. Dry blades of grass reached up and slapped her face, and the cool earth moved between her paws. Every now and then, she extended her claws for extra traction on the softer surfaces. The night came alive with all sorts of sounds and scents. She felt as if she could pick out every single creature surrounding them.
Once they spotted the turkeys, some sort of primitive instinct kicked in. They stopped and waited. Onyx ran her tongue over her sharp canines and smaller incisors at the top of her mouth. She sat still, her tail gently swishing through the dry grass and leaves under her rump. Kipp, the biggest of all of them, stalked the smallest turkey with slow precision. Deacon, Anita, and Martha moved in a stealthy circle around the birds.
Turkeys may look like big, dumb birds, but their sight is actually quite acute. One spotted the crouching, advancing cats and alerted the other birds. They took off in a waddling frenzy, half flying, half running with an awkward gait. Onyx started laughing so hard, she dropped to her belly.
Molly dropped down beside her and pawed her. They're funny, right?
Yes.
Tasty too, Oscar added from above them. Watch.
Kipp caught up to his chosen bird and pounced. He delivered a lethal neck bite, which dropped the turkey. Anita, Deacon, and Martha moved in to finish the kill. Unable to watch, Onyx closed her eyes. The four cats yowled into the night signaling their triumph.
Dinner time! Oscar nudged her, and she opened her eyes. She caught the scent, and it flipped her primal switch. She raced over with the others to sample the treat laid out on the forest floor.
Feasting on the wild turkey was much better than she thought it would be. When they finished, they moved away and began cleaning themselves. Onyx licked her paws with long, delicate strokes. She watched Anita push Kipp to the ground and begin grooming him. Her human side might be in confused turmoil, but her animal side understood life's priorities—prey, water, shelter, mate.
Mate. She missed Cole with such a sudden, sharp ache. She stood up and stretche
d then backed away. The others were so consumed with their after dinner rituals they didn't notice her departure.
Trotting down what she thought was the right path, Onyx found it hard to separate all the scents that assaulted her nose. The whiskers on her face twitched trying to discern something familiar about her surroundings. Shadows moved over the path, obscuring her view. The terrain became rockier, and she realized there were ledges above her that she didn't remember seeing earlier.
A creepy-crawly feeling washed over her, as if someone watched her. Or followed. Scared, Onyx tucked herself into a small scrub brush, grateful for her deep black fur which made it easy to blend into the night. Even though her instincts kept screaming at her to run, she sat still, wrapping her tail tight around her feet. Onyx wanted to yell out to her friends to come help her, but had given up that option when she decided to go all furry. Damn.
Footsteps kept creeping closer. Whatever was stalking her was definitely bigger than she was. It was also sly. She sank deeper into the grass watching, trying to seek out who or what was approaching. Whoever or whatever kept coming closer, and it dawned on her that her luminescent green eyes were probably glowing in the dark giving her location away. Stupid! She squeezed her eyes shut. Her flight instinct begged her to run, but her mind told her to stay still. Panic seized her throat. She couldn’t breathe!
Lost, catling?
The unfamiliar voice scared the shit out of her. Onyx crept out of the brush then froze. Her body prickled all over as her fur raised. She flattened her ears, her back arched, and she hissed.
Settle down. I won't hurt you.
The biggest damn cat she had ever seen stood in front of her. Well, maybe he just seemed large because she felt so small and vulnerable. His paws seemed larger than her whole body. Furrier too. She felt the fur on her tail puff up, and she turned her body sideways. This bigger cat wasn't going to intimidate her.
Out of her peripheral vision, she noted that he had a glorious golden-brown coat with dark brown spots. The fur around his head was tipped with silver. Despite his wild appearance, he seemed clean and well-groomed. It wasn't just his shorter tail and triangle shaped ears with tufts of black hair decorating the tips that let her know he wasn't a domestic cat like her. Wildness rolled off him, and even though he wasn't directly threatening her, she was terrified.
He shifted, and Onyx blushed right down to her claws. He was tall, compact, muscular, and big. Everywhere.
He held out a hand to her. “I won't hurt you. What's your name? What are you doing out here?”
She shook her head and glanced down, unable to look at his face.
“You're awfully shy for a domestic.” His voice was smooth with a hint of laughter.
He switched back, and Onyx was able to look at him again. Sorry, I've never met a prudish shifter before.
I'm not a prude!
Soft chuckling filled her head. You're clearly a young, domestic shifter. What on earth are you doing all the way out here?
I was out hunting with my group. I wanted to head back, and I guess I got lost.
He dropped down to his belly in what Onyx assumed was a gesture meant to appear less threatening. It did, and she was grateful. She straightened her back, and her fur settled into place. So he wouldn't think she was a complete rude bitch, she raised her tail a little, flicking it back and forth gently.
Where are you staying?
In a house. She looked around the woods hoping to see something familiar.
You're pretty deep in the woods. Not a lot of houses around here.
Yeah, he was definitely making fun of her.
Except my house. He raised his gaze to the ledge above them. Onyx craned her neck but didn't see a dwelling.
Just then a light rain started. She heard the drops tap the tree leaves above her before they splish-splashed against her fur. She flinched and twitched to help the water roll off her body.
Come on. I'll take you to my place where you'll be dry.
Onyx hesitated. He seemed genuine, but she also didn't know who or what he was. She flicked her ears, the ticklish sensation of water breaking her concentration. The big cat seemed to sense her discomfort and moved closer so his larger body shielded her from the majority of the rain.
“Onyx!” The shout came from behind the big cat. He did a big jump-spin in the air, planting his paws in the direction of the threat. A lethal growl rumbled out of his mouth.
No! She smacked at him with her tiny, ineffectual paw. That's someone looking for me. It sounded like Kipp. She concentrated and let out a loud wail. No way was she going to shift in front of this stranger.
I guess you're safe then.
Wait! Thank you. What's your name? What are you?
“Onyx!” Kipp was getting closer.
You sure he's a friend? You're okay?
Yes.
He pounced in front of her with a soft thud and reached down to bump her cheek with his nose. Up close, he was even more terrifying. He smelled like crisp outdoors, pine needles, and something else Onyx couldn't place. A thrill of excitement shot through her being so close to the bigger cat.
I'm Ivan. I'm a Lynx. See ya, Onyx.
He took off into the woods leaving Onyx staring after him.
Chapter Nine
“Wow, I can't believe you ran into a Lynx shifter. That's crazy cool.” Molly was sprawled out in front of the fireplace painting her toes with delicate but precise strokes.
“I didn't think there were any of them left.” Anita was also fascinated with Onyx's encounter.
“I've heard they are pretty territorial.” Posey had even come out of her fur to discuss their curious neighbor.
“You could have been gutted.” Cole was less thrilled with her adventure.
Onyx shot him a look of disbelief, and he shrugged. She shivered, thankful to be inside where it was warm and dry.
“I wonder if he belongs to his own clowder?”
“Probably not. They're even more solitary.” Oscar frowned at her. “Although...”
Molly looked up. “What?”
“Nothing.” Oscar got up and sat at the kitchen table with his laptop.
“Y'all should maybe know how to fight a little better,” Deacon suggested.
Onyx narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Anita perked up and joined in on the conversation. “I bet you have no idea how to fight. Like a cat,” she clarified.
Onyx sat up and stretched, a loud yawn escaped her lips. She glanced at the clock. Way past her bedtime. “I'm too tired now. Maybe tomorrow?”
Oscar came out of the kitchen with a glass of water and half a turkey sandwich. “That's not a bad idea,” he mumbled around a mouthful of meat. He sat back down at his computer, and started tapping away.
Anita wrinkled her nose at his poor manners then turned to look at Onyx. “I'll assemble the group in the morning. We'll get a workout in before breakfast.”
“Sounds good.”
Posey walked over and patted her sister on the back. “I'm going to bow out of that one, sensei. In fact, I think I am going to take off tomorrow.”
Anita frowned. “You're not going home, are you?”
“Heck, no. This is just too...confining. I liked what Onyx said about Rome, or maybe I'll make my way down to Key West. I want to be somewhere I can stay in my fur and just blend in and be left alone. I'll check in.” She leaned over to kiss her sister on the cheek.
Anita took her hand and pulled her to the side so they could speak in private. Anita flashed a genuine smile at her sister. Gee, Onyx hadn't thought Anita knew how to smile. Anita reached over and gave Posey a hug. The girl stiffened in her arms then hugged her back.
Onyx didn't want to intrude on the sisterly moment, but she wanted to say goodbye in case she didn't see Posey again. “I hope I see you again under better circumstances real soon, Posey.”
Posey lifted up one corner of her mouth in a sad smile and waved her hand. “Me too. Night, Onyx.”
> Onyx turned and held out her hand to Cole. He grabbed it, but as soon as he stood up, he yanked her into his arms then hefted her over his shoulder. She beat on his back with teasing punches, giggling the whole way up the stairs. She tipped her head up and waved to Molly. “Night!”
Molly laughed and shook her head.
Ugh. When Anita said morning, she meant ass-crack of dawn. The banging on their bedroom door started before sunrise. Onyx rolled over and pressed a kiss to Cole's cheek before going all furry and racing downstairs to join the others.
Everyone was in their fur downstairs. She scurried over to Molly and Martha. They rubbed cheeks to say good morning. Anita assumed a regal pose by the back door.
Let's head outside.
The backyard had ample privacy. With her heightened kitty senses, the yard came alive. The scent of catnip barely permeated the air, and she spotted the plants dotting the outer perimeter of the house. In a few months, they would be huge, wild bushes fragrant with intoxicating perfume. Her tail twitched at the thought. Eyeing her companions, she couldn't help wondering what anyone who looked through the hedges would think if they saw six cats arranged in a semi-circle watching a seventh cat. But that's exactly what they were doing.
Onyx, you don't strike me as the type who was ever in a fight. Anita phrased it like a question and Onyx bobbed her head. If Anita had meant it as an insult, she would be sorely disappointed. The few times she'd witnessed girls get into—Onyx snickered internally—catfights over a boy or whatever, she'd found it awfully silly.
Well, we're not talking silly girl fights here. We're talking cat fights. Anita clarified. Cats have a guerrilla approach to fighting, if you will.
Kipp bobbed his head up and down in approval and moved to Anita's side. That's true. We don't latch on to our opponent. We take swipes then back off before a counter attack can be made. He playfully bopped Anita on the side of her face then weaved away like a furry, four-footed boxer.
Yup. This style uses our best weapons, our lithe bodies and our sharp claws. Anita held up a paw showing off her razor sharp kitty talons. When Kipp moved to sit next to her again, she smacked him, claws out.
